Hawaii’s Mountains – Here’s a link to the live web cam on the summit of near 13,800 foot Mauna Keaon the Big Island of Hawaii. This web cam is available during the daylight hours here in the islands…and when there’s a big moon shining down during the night at times. Plus, during the nights you will be able to see stars, and the sunrise and sunset too…depending upon weather conditions. Here's the Haleakala Crater webcam on Maui…although this webcam is not always working correctly. Tropical Cyclone activity in the eastern and central Pacific- Here’s the latest weather information coming out of theNational Hurricane Center, covering the eastern north Pacific. You can find the latest tropical cyclone information for the central north Pacific (where Hawaii is located) by clicking on this link to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. A satellite image, which shows the entire ocean area between Hawaii and the Mexican coast…can be found here.

Aloha Paragraphs

Strong and gusty trade winds

Wind Advisory for north and east
Kohala, on the Big Island of Hawaii…
and the small island of Lanai

High surf advisory for north shores…
Kauai, Oahu, Molokai and Maui

As thisweather mapshows, we have a strong near 1035 high pressure system located to the north-northwest of the islands. At the same time, we have a near 1004 millibar low pressure system to our northeast, with its short associated cold front draping down far to the east of the state. Our local winds will be trade winds…strong and gusty through Friday.

Our local winds will remain strong and gusty through Friday, and then gradually lower to the medium levels during the weekend…into early next week. We find a potent near 1035 millibar high pressure system (weather map), located to the north-northwest of the islands. At the same time we find a near 1004 millibar low pressure system well to our northeast…with its associated cold front far offshore east of the Big Island.

As we look at this satellite image,it shows low clouds being hidden under a veil of high clouds. A larger image shows this broad area of high cirrus clouds moving through the state now…from the southwest. The atmosphere will become more stable now into the weekend, although there will continue to be a few windward biased showers arriving. The trade winds are strong enough now, that a few showers will likely be carried over into the leeward sides on Molokai, Oahu and Kauai at times too.

Here in Kula, Maui at 520pm Thursday evening, it was partly to mostly cloudy, with generally light winds…and an air temperature of 67.5F degrees.Our strong and gusty trades continue, and will remain active through the next 24-36 hours. We have small craft wind advisory flags up over those windiest coastal and channel waters statewide, which will continue through the day Friday. The models show our winds pulling back some this weekend, so that this advisory will be pared by then too. Meanwhile, we have a wind advisory active over the Kohala District on the Big Island, and now also the small island of Lanai…through 6pm Friday.

~~~ As far as showers go, they have been falling along our windward coasts and slopes, quite generously during the past couple of days. The largest of these rainfall totals include the 4.32" total over the peak of the West Maui Mountains…called Puu Kukui! The local air mass will gradually turn more dry and stable however, so that precipitation totals should diminish into the weekend time frame. The computer forecast models are showing an increase in our windward shower activity slated for right after the upcoming weekend.

~~~ These mid-month weather conditions look rather wintery now, mostly because of the rather thick deck of high cirrus clouds stretching over the state. This looping satellite image shows them, at least the northern fringe of them, moving over the state from the west-southwest. They are rather thick in places, so that they are muting and filtering our famous Hawaiian sunshine. It looks likely that our sunset will be a nice one, and if these high icy clouds are still around Friday morning, we could have more sky colors then. The main thing now continues to be the gusty trade winds, which should moderate by Saturday and Sunday, as will the recent windward shower activity. I should also add that our surf will be larger than normal Friday, with a high surf advisory in effect now too. Finally, be careful with matches and cigarette butts, as the leeward areas are very dry and fire prone, thus the fire weather warning. I'll be back again early Friday morning with your next new weather narrative, I hope you have a great Thursday night until then! Aloha for now…Glenn.

Western Pacific Ocean: There are no active tropical cyclonesSouth Pacific Ocean:There are no active tropical cyclones

North and South Indian Oceans:There are no active tropical cyclones

Interesting: Marine zoning in the Pacific Ocean, in combination with other measures, could significantly improve numbers of heavily over fished bigeye tuna and improve local economies, a fish modelling study has found. Scientists have found that a network of marine zones in the Pacific Ocean could be a more effective conservation measure than simply closing relatively small areas to some types of fishing.

These marine zones, where different fishing activities are allowed in different areas, may have significant and widespread benefits for bigeye tuna numbers. Dr John Sibert of the university of Hawaii Joint Institute of Marine and Atmospheric Research is one of four scientists leading the study.

After testing the effectiveness of a range of conservation measures with an ecosystem and fish population model. Longer-lived than the closely related yellowfin tuna, the bigeye has a lifespan of up to 12 years, with sexual maturity at age four.

Spawning takes place in June and July in the northwestern tropical Atlantic, and in January and February in the Gulf of Guinea, which is the only known Atlantic nursery area. Bigeye tuna are amongst the tuna species most threatened by overfishing.

Juvenile bigeye tuna associate closely with floating objects such as logs, buoys and other flotsam, which makes them susceptible to purse seine fishing in conjunction with man-made fish aggregation devices. The removal of large numbers of juvenile bigeye, before they reach breeding age, is a major concern to fisheries managers, scientists and sport fishermen.

Most seafood sustainability guides encourage consumption of other types of tuna. Dr Sibert says the team found that the most effective measures were to restrict longline fishing in tuna-spawning areas and to manage the use of fish-aggregating devices (e.g. moored or drifting buoys which attract fish) in purse-seine areas.

"We found that simply closing areas off to fishing doesn't work, because the boats just move their operations to neighboring zones and fish even harder. It's going to need a combination of approaches," he says. "The model will help people evaluate alternative policies to manage tropical tuna fisheries.

Our predictions can help countries estimate how effective conservation measures might be, relative to any economic effects, and tailor measures to suit their goals. The advantage of this approach is that effects can be estimated locally, as well as for the stock as a whole."

Half the current bigeye tuna catch is by longline, which targets high-value tuna sold as fresh fish. These fish command a market premium and sell for over $10 per kilogram. The other half is caught in purse-seine nets as incidental bycatch when aiming to catch skipjack tuna. These juvenile bigeye tuna are sold to the canning industry for $1.70 per kilogram.

Dr. Silbert says the most effective conservation measures are those "which protect fish throughout their lifetime."

Glenn,
What a public servant you are.
Can you report vog when present in greater detail, particularly on Maui? You may agree that to report vog intensity, along with ongoing cane burning, would report a double health hazard, one easily preventable.
One air filter company says that a gauge for any area would cost a mere $600 or so. Yet the only one publicly reporting daily, even somewhat in an area where people live, is in Kihei. You tell us, but if vog is least at shore level, isn't the gauge in Kihei at low altitude? Since vog tends to be marked in higher areas, what does that mean for the West Mauis? Since the County Seat of Wailuku is right up against those mountains, what does that say for those there, along with the County employees who work there?
Your care for this County means we look to you now, Glenn.
If only to minimize organ damage, wouldn't the County be wise to filter air for its employees in a way it does not now do? To report to residents of each town area what their exposure is, when? Would lung-damaging smoke with its location be a helpful part of any weather report?
Again, thank you, thank you for what you are doing for us.~~~Hello Judy, thanks for your remarks, they are important things to consider. In the context of my work, I report when I think it will come, how thick it is, and when I think it will leave. Beyond that, I won’t be getting involved, I have to leave that to others. BTW, I believe you are the right path, and appreciate your positive feedback. Aloha, Glenn

Welcome home Glenn. You've been missed. Sandra from Vancouver Island~~~Hi Sandra, good to hear from you, and especially with such positive feedback…thank you! Looking at a webcam of your area late this afternoon, it looks clear overhead…with higher level clouds approaching from the west. I keep an eye on Vancouver’s weather, as I really like your city! BTW, its good to be back home, Aloha, Glenn